I was inspired to write this blog after reading the post by J.P. Lowry titled ‘What are we doing in America?. I enjoyed his article and reading the many posts and varied views. I equate with his frustration and that of many readers where one program after another is instituted, spending our money and no real bang for the buck for the bill payer (us tax payers).
Looking at the current situation in the housing market, we all have dealt with many frustrating circumstances. Government bailouts, fast fancy spending, lack of assistance and follow through, of which all parties are at fault. Dealing with Mortgage loan companies has at times bordered the ridiculous.
What a heated topic, with underlying currents touching on so many levels of our society and psyche. It has opened the Pandora’s box of our own errors in society. When you are in the middle of the fray it is hard to see the true battle. So let’s stand back and take a look at it from above, or outside as it were. Sometimes you need to go back to see your way forward.
Prior to the turn of the 20th century, the world was dominated by Monarchistic rule. After WW1, roughly 60% of Monarchies disappeared, following WW2, about all were gone apart from being figure heads.
The last 100 years has primarily been a struggle between two ideals; collectivist ideals (Socialism, Communism, Nazism, fascism, etc..) and individualist ideals (capitalism, republics).
Now the collectivist ideals of utopia, albeit altruistic, are naive. Socrates put it best when he said, ‘No Government nor democracy can quench the ambition of men” and they killed him for that. For those of you who like cartoons, let’s use ‘Pinky and the Brain’ as an illustration. As long as mankind is governing himself, there will always be a Pinky (a lackey) and there will always be a Brain (power hungry ego maniac). When Pinky asks Brain everyday, ‘What are we going to do today Brain?’ his response is always, ‘I am going to rule the world!’. If you want more details on the famous Grecian Democracy go read the peloponnesian wars.
Individualist ideals should be based on interdependence. The ‘I take care of me for you and you take care of you for me.’ Now if one individual works twice as hard for an extra piece of pie, that is healthy and falls in line with individualist ideals, but again, that old ego, when we feel we deserve (or desire) the other guys piece of pie more than he does, whether we have worked for it or not, seems to thwart us again and again.
So the easiest analogy I have is; Say you grow apples and I grow oranges. I want you to do well with them oranges because I am going to get pretty tired of eating just apples. When you succeed, I succeed, because I am going to buy or barter for your oranges against my apples. Now extend that to other forms of commerce. I like apples and oranges a lot, but I sure hope there is also someone making burgers out there who likes apples!
Now that we have a basis to look at our current situation, understanding there is actually a struggle between three idealistic forces today, that being; Collectivism, Individualism and the the opportunistic fence jumper MR. EGO (Brain) we can touch on the current Mortgage crisis.
Our dollar is FIAT, please Google that term if you don’t understand it. The gold and silver standard were intentionally removed by the Federal Reserve Bank (the FRB is not government owned, but a private conglomerate) to allow the expansion and contraction (better referred to as manipulation) of the perceived value of money.
Now great intentions were written down to validate that purpose, but in truth it placed too much power in the hands of too few, and as famously quoted, ‘Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely’. Whine about it all you want, it is a fact of life. People clamor about capitalist greed run amok, when in fact, true capitalism died with the start of the Federal Reserve Bank. (not that I espouse capitalism as the truest system either, but it does allow a resetting and balancing of values if left unmanipulated.)
Now lets get down to the real problem. Sadly, many people by nature are opportunist. We see that on both ends of the spectrum. Regrettably many banks, mortgage lenders, wall street brokers, and even some Realtors, (only to name a few) saw the opportunity and greed ran its course. However the same opportunistic glove fits those buyers that went into homes that were beyond their means of living, bought lavish cars and lived on credit cards. Can someone say ‘Facilitation?’
So we can waste a bunch of time droning on and on over the past and who is to blame. Almost everyone is to blame in one way or another. Who wants to cast that first stone? That leads to the fact of ‘We are all responsible’
The real problem is we (writer includes self) have become a society of people who refrain from accepting responsibility for our decisions or current situation. Everyone wants a scapegoat. We are all stuck in a self entitlement mentality, like a two year old throwing tantrums in the check out line of the store when Mom won’t let us have the candy bar or toy on the shelf. (purposely placed mind you)
If you are waiting for someone to come turn the light on, sorry to report, they probably won’t show up. If you want big government or other people to come to your rescue, then welcome aboard the fast train to tyranny. Solomon said ‘The borrower is ALWAYS servant to the lender’. Now ask yourself, who is the biggest lender to us and the government?
Benjamin Franklin wrote; They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.
The true definition of FREEDOM is summed up by a single word, RESPONSIBILITY. George Bernard related such sentiments when he said; Liberty means responsibility. That is why most men dread it.
It all starts with you and I. Nobody has complete control over ones life, it is too dynamic, intertwined and unexpected things happen. In this life you have been given only one thing that you can control,……………… your attitude.
Paul Heim
     
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